Nightmare
by CaptainAlice
Summary: One-shot account of Effie's time imprisoned in the capitol. Warning, pretty graphic...
1. Chapter 1

Dark. Darkness. That's all there was. Nothing more. She was darkness. She was nothing. She was air. Air couldn't feel hunger or pain. Air couldn't remember the days before the darkness. Air never felt longing or fear. What remained of Effie Trinket, former escort to District 12, was huddled in a corner of the pitch-black cell. She was no longer Effie Trinket. No matter what they called her, that wasn't her anymore.

They hadn't come for a long time now. Had it been a day? A week? There was no way of knowing. All she knew is they had stopped trying to electrocute answers out of her. The last time they had left her alone this long they had stopped beating her. Now it was only a question of what the next form of torture was that they would put her through.

She tried to shrug the scrap of fabric she used as a sort of wrap higher on her shoulder, but to no avail. She couldn't adjust it with her hands as she was chained by her wrists to the freezing cement wall. Then, with a thud and the buzzing of electricity racing through the overhead lamps that made her cringe, the lights were thrown on. From the darkness the cell was brought into a blinding white light. As her eyes adjusted some distant part of Effie's mind noted the grimy, starving state of her own body.

Lights. This could mean one of two things. Either someone had finally taken pity on the starved creature in cell 4592, or more likely, Effie was about to find out what exactly her captures had in store for her next. The heavy metal door was pushed open by one of the guards. Then in they marched. Always the same. They all dressed as peacekeepers. White suits and dark-visored helmets.

First was the tall, square-chested man.

"Ah, Miss Trinket," he had a deep, hash voice and carried a clipboard. "We have a treat in store for you today." She could almost hear the smug smile on his voice.

Next came two more peacekeepers dragging between them the first human face Effie had seen since they had beat her in front of Peeta her first day there. It was a little girl, probably no older than twelve. She, like Effie, appeared starved and dirty. Her mouth was gagged and her green eyes were wide in fear.

"I know you have some experience working with children Miss Trinket," the interrogator went on. Effie eyed him in defiance as she always did on the occasions he visited her cell. She never spoke a word. Only screams… only screams… pleas for mercy in the beginning… but no more…

"Right." He tapped his clipboard with a pen. "Let's see if guilt weighs heavy on your heart Miss Trinket." She blinked in confusion, trying to make sense of his words in her jumbled mind. One of the peacekeepers undid the gag on the girls mouth. She sputtered and tried to pull free of their viselike grip.

"Let's get started." Effie eyed the small girl in confusion. Her brain working slowly, trying to work out what was happening. "What were you told of the rebels plans against the capitol?" Effie continued to stare at the girl who was frantically looking from one person to another, tears streaming from her eyes.

"Did you hear me Miss Trinket?" His leather glove made harsh contact with her chin, forcing her to look up at her faceless interrogator. They wouldn't get anything out of her. She didn't know anything anyway. Even if she did, she was past caring. They could do what they wanted to her. They had already.

He shoved her away again and jerked his head at his fellows. One of them reached for his belt and unsheathed a knife. The girl struggled and screamed. Before Effie could register what was happening there was a flash a silver and a spurt of blood. The girl screamed hysterically as her index finger dropped to the floor of the cell with a dull thump.

"No!" The cry came out in a strangled croak. Effie struggled against her restraints. The interrogator gave a soft chuckle.

"Found your voice have you? Let's try again then." The girl continued to scream and plead. "Oh do shut up." One of the peacekeepers gave her a swift kick, turning her cries to mere snivels. "Miss Trinket, what were you told of the rebels plans against the capitol?"

"Nothing!" Effie choked. "Please, don't. You can't-" before she could utter another word there was another swing of the blade. More bloodcurdling screams.

"Please!" The girl screamed in her shrill child's voice. "Make it stop! Please!" Effie began to curl into herself. Her eyes were clamped shut but the screams went on and on.

"Oh no you don't." The interrogator snapped in the direction of the door and another peacekeeper entered, stepping carefully around the two fingers and the blood pooling on the floor from the poor girl's hand. This one approached Effie and forced her head up, making her look at the helpless girl before her.

That was how it went on. Eight questions later there were ten fingers surrounding Effie's feet on the floor. The screams couldn't be stopped. They split through Effie's head and plunged into her heart.

"What did Haymitch Abernathy tell you of the rebel's plans?" The interrogator barked over the girl's screams. He had given up trying to quiet her.

"Nothing!" Effie sobbed. "Please! I don't know-" A hand.

"What did Haymitch Abernathy-"

"HE DIDN'T TELL ME ANYTHING! HE- NO!" Two hands.

"What did Haymitch-"

"NOTHING!" The interrogator looked to his accomplices.

"I think we're done here for today." The man with the knife nodded. With a final swing the knife was plunged into the girl's stomach.

"NO!" Effie screamed and struggled against her wrist restraints. The peacekeeper holding her had released his grip and began towards the door. The two men holding the girl upright by her shoulders gave her a shove. She splashed into the huge red puddle of blood, splattering Effie's legs in the hot scarlet liquid.

"Until next time Miss Trinket," called the interrogator over the girl's sobs, offering a mock salute in her direction before slamming the door behind him. With that Effie was plunged into darkness once more, enveloped in the girls screams. There was the slight sound of splashing as the girl tried to right herself.

"MONSTER!" Effie screamed to the darkness, thrashing against her chains. "MONSTER! MONSTER!"

"Effie!"

"Monster," her cries weakened. One arm was free, she lashed out against the darkness, trying to feel her ways towards the helpless girl. "Monster! Monst-"

"EFFIE!" With a final shake her eyes flew open. Her hand made contact with Haymitch's nose. "Shit!"

Effie fell back against the pillows as Haymitch let go of her shoulders, his hand flying to his nose.

"I- I- Haymitch- I'm sorry, I-"

"It's alright sweetheart. He turned back to her. I'm fine. We're both fine." Effie sat up in bed trembling, a heart wrenching sob escaping her lips.

"Hey," Haymitch gingerly wrapped his arms around her. She wound her arms around him and clutched desperately onto his nightshirt. This was real. This was now. "It's alright princess. You're safe." He pressed a tender kiss to her hairline. Effie shook her head against his chest. Yes. She was safe. The girl…

"It's okay. They can't hurt you now. It was just a dream." Effie sobbed against his chest.

"It wasn't just a dream Haymitch. It wasn't." Haymitch nodded tiredly.

"Do you want to talk-"

"No." He couldn't know. No one should know. No one should ever know.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day Haymitch watched helplessly as Effie shuffled from room to room of his house, staring into space, near tears. It wasn't exactly abnormal. Another bad day. She had them more frequently than not. He didn't know exactly what happened to her in the capitol prison. He'd pieced together some things from her screaming, others from the medical information her doctor had released to him when he had decided to take her back to 12 with him. They'd only been living together a month- well, not including the nights he came to her back in 13.

He took a swig from his flask and watched from the window as Effie lowered herself into the rocking chair on the porch, staring up at the clouds rolling overhead. This was getting out of hand. He knew from the get go that her recovery wasn't exactly going to be a jaunt through a bed of roses, but day by day she seemed to be getting worse. He watched as the wind blew her blonde hair into her face, getting caught in her lashes. She barely even blinked in response. Her lips were turning blue from cold and she shivered.

Haymitch downed the remainder of his drink and pulled the moth-eaten blanket from the couch as he stood up. He'd had enough. He was going to get answers out of her today. Pulling open the front door, Haymitch approached her from behind and draped the blanket over her shoulders. She tensed, drawing in a breath of surprise, but after a moment relaxing and sighed his name. Haymitch's lips twitched into a small smile. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Effie smiled weakly. A good sign. That was all they had. Nothing more intimate. A kiss here, a gentle hug there, but nothing more upon her request.

"It's freezing out here. You should come inside princess." Effie nodded slightly and allowed Haymitch to lead her back into the house. They sat down on the couch together. Haymitch looked her over in concern as Effie stared at the far wall.

"Hey," he brushed a lock of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. She didn't respond.

"Effie?" Still nothing.

"Effie." He tried more forcefully. She turned her head slightly, her eyes flickered up to his and then down to her lap.

"Yes?"

"We need to talk."

"No." She made to get up but Haymitch took hold of her wrist and gently pulled her back towards him. Effie bit her lip. He could see the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "I can't Haymitch," she whispered through gritted teeth.

"You can."

"You don't understand."

"Then help me to." He said it more forcefully than he meant, causing her to flinch. He sighed and rubbed his face with one hand, while wrapping the other around Effie's thin shoulder. "I just want to help sweetheart. That was part of why I brought you here remember?" She sniffled and a single tear rolled down her cheek. Haymitch brushed it away with his thumb and kissed her forehead, drawing her closer.

"I want to know what happened."

"No one should know what happened." Her voice quivered as she spoke. "No one should have to go through what I went through. It's- it's…" She struggled to find the words horrid enough to describe just what plagued her memories. "I just can't Haymitch." She mumbled in defeat.

"I need to know Effie. That's the only way we're going to be able to get though this and you know what. We can't go on like-"

"I watched you die Haymitch." His eyes widened in surprise.

"What?" She slowly raised her head and met his eyes.

"I watched you die." Her lip trembled and more tears came, flowing steadily down her face.

"But… how? Effie… I'm-"

"I know." Her hands clasped desperately onto his shirt. He pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her protectively. "They drugged me Haymitch. I know that now, but then- Oh…" She whimpered and buried her face in his chest. He stroked her hair trying to calm her, all the while mulling over what she'd just told him in his mind.

"Talk to me sweetheart." He took her face in his hands and looked desperately into her deep blue eyes. She took a shaky breath before delving into the story.  
It had started with the girl from last night's dream. The next day they had brought her food and water that she had hungrily devoured. A day later they had dragged in Peeta. She was forced once more to watch helplessly as they cut him away, bit by bit and was finally murdered in front of her very eyes. The next day she was brought more food. When she refused to eat, it was forced down her throat through a tube. The process was repeated this time with Katniss. Next it was Plutrach. The final trial had been Haymitch. She had spoken then. She gave information but not the information her captures wanted to hear. She had admitted how much and how long she'd loved him, but her words hadn't saved him. When his last breath left him she wanted death. She beat her head against the cement wall until she fell unconscious. When she came to she had seen them clearing the body, but it was no longer Haymitch. Like the girl, it was just another nameless prisoner. That was when Effie had realized her food had been spiked.

Haymitch listened in stunned silence as she recounted the horrors she'd seen. When she finished her tears had stopped falling. She wrung her hands and looked anywhere but at him.

"Holy shit," he whispered half to himself. Effie nodded weakly. He furrowed his brow and looked up at her. "That's not all though." Effie shook her head.

"No."

"The medical reports showed-"

"That they beat me," she whispered. "They electrocuted me. They-" she stopped and wrapped her arms around herself.

"The medical reports showed… that you can't have children." A sob escaped her lips.

"No more Haymitch. That's where I draw the line. No more." Haymitch nodded and pulled her to him.

"Alright Effie." He kissed her. "No more."


End file.
